louis ck toronto

Louis C.K. jokes about masturbation scandal at sold out show in Toronto

Cancel culture, schmancel culture?

People are either starting to revolt against the blacklisting of disgraced entertainers, or Louis C.K. is immune to the phenomenon — which may very well be the case, given his status as one of the most commercially successful comedians of all time.

Whatever the case, Toronto appears to be welcoming the famously-creepy American comic with open arms and open wallets.

C.K., whose career was thought to have been cancelled back in 2017 after admitting to no less than five allegations of sexual misconduct, performed the first of eight scheduled shows at Yuk Yuk's in downtown Toronto last night.

All eight $35 shows sold out almost instantly after they were announced by Yuk Yuk's last week, despite all the backlash the comedy club has been facing on Twitter for booking him.

This fact alone is prompting some fans to declare victory in C.K.'s honour, for some reason.

By all reports from those who attended the first show on Wednesday night, it was pretty well-received by the roughly 300-person crowd.

Audience members were strictly prohibited from using cell phones, recording devices or even writing notes by hand during the performance, but reviewers say that C.K. got laughs with jokes about ice cream, disabled people, use of the R-word and his mother's dead body.

He also made no bones about why he was performing at Yuk Yuk's, as opposed to a stadium like Scotiabank Arena, where he last played Toronto more than two years ago.

C.K. is said to have "unapologetically" addressed the famous non-consensual masturbation sessions that saw multiple major entertainment companies cut ties with him back in November of 2017.

"Reflecting on the two years since the scandal broke, he told the mostly male audience they were lucky that that the whole world did not know their secret 'thing' the way everyone now knows his," wrote the CBC's Deana Sumanac-Johnson of his Wednesday night set.

"My thing is: I like to masturbate, and I don't like to be alone," C.K. is reported to have said.

While there are undoubtedly many fans bragging about scoring tickets to one of C.K.'s Toronto shows this week, the comic's sexual misconduct habit continues to looms large over all discussions of his work.

"I can't believe Louis CK didn't accept a Toronto residency at my new comedy club Yank Yank's," joked one person on Twitter of the booking.

"Can't wait for the meat and beat," wrote another.

"I can't wait until Louis CK is so tired and old that news outlets stop covering how bad his stand-up is now and we can just ignore him like we do tons of other comics," wrote one Toronto resident more seriously. "Including those who are more talented and never forced people to watch them jerk it."

Lead photo by

FX


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